Squirrel Carnage

[bobbydog]

has anyone else noticed the amount of dead squirrels on the roads lately? i'm assuming its due to a lack of food in their normal territory and in trees, causing them to forage further afield and crossing roads.

we have two big apple trees in our garden, which are a right pain usually, as they bear hundreds of apples which i have to pick up, as they drop at this time of year, rotting on the grass and attracting wasps. this year?- nothing!...

[Somerset Squall]

I haven't noticed the squirrels, but my apple tree has done very poorly this year, usually we have too many!

[jethro]

has anyone else noticed the amount of dead squirrels on the roads lately? i'm assuming its due to a lack of food in their normal territory and in trees, causing them to forage further afield and crossing roads.

we have two big apple trees in our garden, which are a right pain usually, as they bear hundreds of apples which i have to pick up, as they drop at this time of year, rotting on the grass and attracting wasps. this year?- nothing!...

There's loads of food around for squirrels. They're hopeless jumpers, often over estimate how good they are, miss a tree and fall, we notice the ones in the road because the surface is hard enough to kill them.

[Gowon]

has anyone else noticed the amount of dead squirrels on the roads lately? i'm assuming its due to a lack of food in their normal territory and in trees, causing them to forage further afield and crossing roads.

we have two big apple trees in our garden, which are a right pain usually, as they bear hundreds of apples which i have to pick up, as they drop at this time of year, rotting on the grass and attracting wasps. this year?- nothing!...

Nope but I have witnessed one getting run over by a car once on Tulse Hill road...poor thing.

Edited September 25, 2012 by Seselwa

[bobbydog]

There's loads of food around for squirrels. They're hopeless jumpers, often over estimate how good they are, miss a tree and fall, we notice the ones in the road because the surface is hard enough to kill them.

well i do a lot of driving and there's always the odd dead squirrel around but in the last few weeks i have seen them everywhere. maybe its just round here but i've never seen so many dead ones on the roads. i've even had to avoid several in the road lately which is not a common occurrence for me

[Aceman]

Nope but I have witnessed one getting run over by a car once on Tulse Hill road...poor thing.

Same here, a few days ago. Ran out, stopped then ran back but didn't beat the mighty mondeo tyre.

[Skip Spence]

In my neck of the woods, there seems to have been a sharp rise in the number of squirrels over the last coupla months. My garden's teeming with the critters; way more than usual. And yes, the back roads are littered with the less fortunate ones. But then I guess more squirrels generally equates to more road kill.

[Gavin Hannah]

Its the hedgehogs I feel sorry for, they're not the fastest things on four legs.

[Gowon]

Same here, a few days ago. Ran out, stopped then ran back but didn't beat the mighty mondeo tyre.

Yeah i know, that's exactley what it did...they get confused...lol

[keithlucky]

They are regulary culled in the parks down here because they ring bite the Azaleas and Rhoderdendrons ,thus killing them, they often kill other shrubs aswell they must be considered the same as pigeons and rats,

[Gowon]

Its the hedgehogs I feel sorry for, they're not the fastest things on four legs.

That's why you wouldn't catch them crossing roads...well i've never witnessed it.

[Coast]

Unfortuantely I had comings together with 3 seperate ones last week and have never run 1 over before.

[AWD]

Not just squirrels, but hedgehogs too. I live in an urban area and I've seen loads of road kill which is unusual for my area!

[jethro]

They are regulary culled in the parks down here because they ring bite the Azaleas and Rhoderdendrons ,thus killing them, they often kill other shrubs aswell they must be considered the same as pigeons and rats,

Ring barking is far more likely to be Deer damage. If they are partial to Rhododendrons, round the Squigs up and ship them down to Poole, the council down there are loosing the battle against the Rhodo's taking over the heaths, they'll be glad of the help.

[knocker]

Not just squirrels, but hedgehogs too. I live in an urban area and I've seen loads of road kill which is unusual for my area!

Researching the history of a village near here a little snippet from 1938.

During the winter frog farming was in full swing. Frogs were cultivated on a farm and sent to London Restraurants. In the summer they raised hedgehogs as roasted they were very nutritiious and tasty. Sorry completely off topic.

Edited September 25, 2012 by knocker

[Styx]

has anyone else noticed the amount of dead squirrels on the roads lately? i'm assuming its due to a lack of food in their normal territory and in trees, causing them to forage further afield and crossing roads.

we have two big apple trees in our garden, which are a right pain usually, as they bear hundreds of apples which i have to pick up, as they drop at this time of year, rotting on the grass and attracting wasps. this year?- nothing!...

Perversely or not depending on your perspective it is usually an indicator that there's much more of them about than normal, or as humans like to describe it, they have overbred. So you are more likely to notice the unlucky ones.

Here in Tasmania a declining number of dead devils on the roads is a bad indicator that that species is on the way out.

Same goes for our other wandering 4 legged friends, the car paints an ecological story of whats going on, so to speak.

Edited September 26, 2012 by Styx